Breach Stourbridge Canal

[Split Pin]

The Stourbridge canal between Stourbridge the Sixteen locks at Wordsley and Stourton Locks (The Stourbridge town level) is currently dewarted following a breach which occured overnight between Bells Mill Bridge and Middle bridge. About a hundred feet away from the site of a previous breach in the 1970's.If we are lucky it may be repaired in time for next summer!

 

Steve

Edited September 7, 2008 by Split Pin

[dave moore]

Hi Steve

This appears to have caused mayhem, I didn't realise that the arm was drained too. Any more info?

Cheers

Dave Moore

[Split Pin]

Hi Steve

This appears to have caused mayhem, I didn't realise that the arm was drained too. Any more info?

Cheers

Dave Moore

 

Hi Dave

Yes the entire level was drained, by this evening BW have installed stop planks in the Stour aqueduct and the level is now rising back into Stourbridge, probably take a couple of days to refill completely. There is still a good feed of water down the 16 from the rain water, Hopefully this will not affect the Trusts Open weekend in October although every one will have to arrive and depart via the up hill route

It still leaves the boats moored at Black Country Narrowboats and one continious cruiser who has taken up residence beyond Bells Mill bridge High and dry

 

Steve

[Ray]

I'm interested in developments. I'm hoping to visit Wilson's of Kinver at the end of the month from the southern GU on a bit of a tight time schedule.

 

I appreciate that there is an alternative route but this may just make the journey a non starter as we'd need more than a day to cover the extra distance in both directions.

 

Last year we planned to go to London in the autumn and got to the end of the first day to find that there was a broken lock in front of us, with the result that the trip got called off until this Spring (Do you remember that week? It didn't rain!).

 

I can't believe that we face the prospect of another aborted trip this year if the breach takes as long as has been suggested it may do to repair.

 

Please keep us advised of any developments.

 

Thanks.

[rollingthunder]

Hi Dave

Yes the entire level was drained, by this evening BW have installed stop planks in the Stour aqueduct and the level is now rising back into Stourbridge, probably take a couple of days to refill completely. There is still a good feed of water down the 16 from the rain water, Hopefully this will not affect the Trusts Open weekend in October although every one will have to arrive and depart via the up hill route

It still leaves the boats moored at Black Country Narrowboats and one continious cruiser who has taken up residence beyond Bells Mill bridge High and dry

 

Steve

Hi - i am the continuos cruiser who now appears to have taken up residence - i have been awaiting a safety certificate before i can renew my license - no point in rushing now ! The breach is a sight to behold it resembles a Guatamalan landslip ! There are several 25metre Oak trees sitting in it you could fit a decent-sized house and then some ! There is another boat high and dry further down that was on its' way back to Stourbridge and all of the resident boats ca15 that are moored at Dave Bauers Prestwood moorings apart from that there are a few herons making the most of the remaining fish that have congregated in the linear pool that is the canal at present..............

[stuart]

Any photos?

[Tarren]

Here are some photos - not mine, I might add.

They show just how serious the breach is.

 

Stourbridge Canal Breach

Full Set Of 16 Photos

Edited September 8, 2008 by Tarren

[alan_fincher]

Impressive photos!

 

One of the more spectacular ones - I can't see that being fixed in a hurry.

 

You certainly wouldn't want to be just approaching it as it breached, would you ?

[MartinClark]

BW has issued a statement about the breach in which they say:

 

"the breach section is anticipated to remain closed for a period of approximately 4 months, however, this timescale may be revised."

[AlanJ]

That's an impressive hole!

Can't see it being fixed any time soon - it's going to be a large task to get that banking re-enforced sufficently now (I would have thought)

[sociable_hermit]

The only good thing you can say about it is - what a fantastic hull-blacking opportunity!

[Ray]

The only good thing you can say about it is - what a fantastic hull-blacking opportunity!

 

How do you get to the towpath side to black that?

[Split Pin]

Hi

 

Regarding the time to repair the breach,

The last time that it occured (about 100ft back towards Stourbridge) It took at least 6 months!.

The site is a little remote with the nearest road access about 3/4 of a mile away.

Bw will have to arrange access across third party land, At least they have a precident to work with.

Last time a large quantity of stone was laid and compacted before pilling a new channel and puddleing the bed.

Ray even if the repairs were started now I doubt it would take less than 2 months to effect the repair, so if Martins info proves to be correct the Bw will have acted fairly quickly

 

Steve

[Chris J W]

So if you NEED to move from the de-watered bit, do BW *HAVE* to help you or would it be between you and your insurance people?

 

(Do you get licence refunds, too, if you cannot move?)

[Teakbank12]

So if you NEED to move from the de-watered bit, do BW *HAVE* to help you or would it be between you and your insurance people?

 

(Do you get licence refunds, too, if you cannot move?)

 

I guess this is where you need to know a friendly Chinook pilot otherwise its going to be a bit lonely stuck in one place with no facilities.

 

Did anyone see this breach coming ie damaged towpath/edge etc or is this likely to happen again at another location.

[MartinClark]

Did anyone see this breach coming ie damaged towpath/edge etc or is this likely to happen again at another location.

 

The BW statement I mentioned earlier also says this:

"An annual inspection of the Stourbridge Canal was carried out on 5 September 2008, where no issues of concern were raised."

 

So, it was apparently inspected just 2 days before the breach occurred without any danger signs being seen.

[cheshire~rose]

I hope no one tries to blame Graham for that....... I know Alnwick was ploughing that stretch but I dont think he intended to dredge it quite so far!

 

How dreadful though! I fell terrubly sorry for anyone who is stranded whether individuals or businesses.

[Moley]

It's certainly a bit of a bloody mess, I stopped off at Stourton Junction and had a walk up that way on my way home this evening (although the breach is quite a way from the junction and I didn't have time to get that far).

 

 

I understand from the bloke on NB Odyssey (above) that BW have got some stop planks or dam in place and have already started to let water down the 16 to re-water the Stourbridge town arm, and that there are plans to get the lower stretches back in water within the next 7 - 10 days to allow any stranded boats to get back down to the S&W, but it's going to take months and cost millions to restore navigation through the breached section.

[Ray]

Ray even if the repairs were started now I doubt it would take less than 2 months to effect the repair, so if Martins info proves to be correct the Bw will have acted fairly quickly

 

I think I'll give up planning trips in advance and just turn up and go (see my earlier post about our trip to London).

 

It could have been worse and we could have had no alternative. Now we'll just have to do some longer (than 11 hour) days to get there in the time frame that we've allowed and go via Wolverhampton. We'd planned to come back that way anyway (albeit a bit slower), so we can now leave the locks set for our return (although I reckon after a couple of days someone else might have passed that way)!

 

I feel for anyone stranded and hope that BW are able to keep the closed section to a fairly short stretch to limit the inconvenience as much as possible.

[fab]

The BW statement I mentioned earlier also says this:

"An annual inspection of the Stourbridge Canal was carried out on 5 September 2008, where no issues of concern were raised."

 

So, it was apparently inspected just 2 days before the breach occurred without any danger signs being seen.

 

 

A BW engineer inspected the canal section below the Delph Locks last year when we were in dispute over end of garden mooring charges. He was not at all impressed and said he would report his concerns (not least because there's a large sainsbury's downhill from there). We were promised a copy of that report. Needless to say all we received were invoices.

[magnetman]

Was the location of the breach used as a mooring at all?

 

It'd be pretty grim to be moored there when that happened.

[Dibbo]

We came past that spot on Friday in the pooring rain, looked fine then, we tied up between the 16 and 15th lock for the night. Bloody lucky we didn't leave it till later to move up to the Bumble hole, as we did plan on saturday and sunday originally. I had a walk down there yesterday, looks like a tree has gone first and took the bank with it, as there's one right at the bottom as well as the one stuck in the hole. Funny, i lived in Wordsley as a boy, and can remember the first breach,i remember we scoured the bottom of the cut for old bottles ( the marble type) and found quite a few, i climbed down yesterday and sank to the top of my laces( got big boots on thankfully), did think i didn't last time, but then I thought I'm 10 stone heavier.............

My thoughts go to the poor sods sitting on the mud, hope BW sort getting them out of there ASAP.

Was the location of the breach used as a mooring at all?

 

It'd be pretty grim to be moored there when that happened.

[rollingthunder]

There are 3 continuos cruisers 'marooned' either side of the breach me being one of them - point taken re the blacking and i fully intend to carry out this task before BW get round to erecting coffer dams -

 

This will be after i effect temporary "repairs" to the 5 portholes that i have had put in by local chavscum from Wordsley yesterday ! - in the meantime workers and a patrol robot from BW at the Stewponey had been prancing around on my deck moaning that my license is'nt completely visible and taking details - the words pissup and brewery spring to mind.....

 

The poor unfortunates the other side of the breach were broken into and burgled at the same time approx 4.30 in the afternoon !

 

I am in the process of sorting out my safety certificate having had a visit from an approved inspector ystda and will be liasing with BW over some sort of license fee depending on recompense for the damage to my portholes due to the fact that i cannot move...

 

Any ideas or advice anybody ?

 

Laurie -

[magpie patrick]

This will be after i effect temporary "repairs" to the 5 portholes that i have had put in by local chavscum from Wordsley yesterday ! - in the meantime workers and a patrol robot from BW at the Stewponey had been prancing around on my deck moaning that my license is'nt completely visible and taking details - the words pissup and brewery spring to mind.....

 

 

Laurie -

 

regarding the bold bit, I hope your joking (assuming this was while boat was stranded) but I suspect you are not. Will they do you for overstaying?

[Split Pin]

We came past that spot on Friday in the pooring rain, looked fine then, we tied up between the 16 and 15th lock for the night. Bloody lucky we didn't leave it till later to move up to the Bumble hole, as we did plan on saturday and sunday originally. I had a walk down there yesterday, looks like a tree has gone first and took the bank with it, as there's one right at the bottom as well as the one stuck in the hole. Funny, i lived in Wordsley as a boy, and can remember the first breach,i remember we scoured the bottom of the cut for old bottles ( the marble type) and found quite a few, i climbed down yesterday and sank to the top of my laces( got big boots on thankfully), did think i didn't last time, but then I thought I'm 10 stone heavier.............

My thoughts go to the poor sods sitting on the mud, hope BW sort getting them out of there ASAP.

 

Was you who woke me up then

 

Boats have been moored on this section, they need to shallow draft to get into the bank because that section is cut through the sandstone and Bw are very wary abour dredging it